‘Alarming’: Brantford-Brant’s Jobless Rate of 9.9% Highest in Ontario
Brantford-Brant currently faces the highest unemployment rate in Ontario, with Statistics Canada reporting a 9.9 per cent jobless rate for October—its highest level since the pandemic. This figure represents a 0.2 per cent increase from September, based on seasonally adjusted estimates using a three-month moving average.
“It’s been alarming to see so many of our residents – our friends and neighbours – become unemployed,” said Danette Dalton, executive director at the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.
According to Dalton, about 9,800 people are without work, echoing the employment challenges of the summer of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the region hard.
“Like then, our community is going to need a lot of help, including mental health supports. As we approach the holiday season, the stresses on unemployed people and their families will likely increase. It’s a time to be generous in whatever way we can.”
Meanwhile, unemployment rates have declined across Ontario, now at 7.6 per cent, and nationally, at 6.9 per cent, with most of the 55,000 new jobs in Canada created within the province. Dalton cautioned that local employment gains might mask the true severity of the situation in Brantford-Brant.
Author Summary
Brantford-Brant’s 9.9% jobless rate, the highest in Ontario, reveals deep local distress reminiscent of pandemic-era losses, sparking calls for community support and generosity.
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